The Nigerian Copyright Commission (NCC) in its proactive drive for efficiency has burnt truck loads of confiscated exhibits worth N1.4 Billion from concluded anti-piracy cases in the Kaduna Liaison Office to decongest the exhibit centre.

The burning exercise, which was carried out on 22nd October, 2015 after due approvals and consultation with relevant agencies and stakeholders, had in attendance, the Director General of the Commission, Barrister Afam Ezekude, Directors of Prosecution (Mr. A.T. Kohol), Enforcement (Mr. Augustine Amodu) and PRS (Mr. Bitrus Dauda) from the Head office, the Zonal Head, North–West and Kaduna State Liaison Officer of the Commission (Mrs. Hannatu Mishelia Swat), representative of the Kaduna State Police Command, representative of the Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) and the Media.

As part of the activity to mark the exercise, the Director General paid a courtesy call on the Commissioner of Police Kaduna State. The Director General during the visit appreciated the Commissioner of Police and the entire Force for the support and cooperation given to the Commission in the fight against piracy. The Commissioner while reiterating his support for the Commission expressed his readiness to provide back-up for the Commission at any given time. He also intimated the Director General about constraints of prosecuting apprehended violators of copyright. In response, the Director General advised that such cases can be transferred to the Commission for investigation and prosecution as the Commission is autonomous in the prosecution of its cases.

Likewise, a town hall meeting was held between the Director General and Staff of the Commission in Kaduna office. The meeting being the first of its kind in the liaison office, provided a forum for interaction, as issues bothering on welfare, feelings of neglect were raised by the staff. The Director General while charting a way forward for the staff eroded such feelings of neglect and assured them of his commitment to their welfare. The Staff were equally elated by the visit of the Director General and the move to decongest their office of exhibits.

In a similar development, the Director General held a meeting with stakeholders comprising of Publishers, Booksellers and CD sellers at a forum in the Conference Hall of Ministry of Local Government in Kaduna. The Director General while reading his Riot Act to the stakeholders and his Zero tolerance for any acts of infringement of right owners, intimated them of the need to patronize original works as the commission will not rest on its oars in dealing and prosecuting anyone contravening the Copyright Act. Answers were proffered to challenging questions raised by stakeholders who promised to work with the Commission to flush out the bad eggs among them.